New Year's Eve is a big night for Pyro Pat, the fireworks expert

He's tried ballooning, he's tried skydiving, but it's fireworks that fascinate Pat Farrell, also known as 'Pyro Pat.'

"Ever since I was a little kid, I had a fascination with fireworks," says Farrell, from Sunnyside.

"When I was old enough, about 18, I decided, well, I'm going to go out and see where I can take training as a pyrotechnician."

At the time, Farrell was living in Saskatchewan, and he managed to track down a government program which could give him the pyrotechnic training he wanted.

"It was me and the bomb squad in Regina, taking a fireworks course."

And for the last 25 years, Farrell has done commercial fireworks shows all over Canada and the West Indies.

High explosives

The fireworks he uses with are quite different from the rockets and candles sold this time of year for backyard use.

"It's very high explosive, it's something you don't want to play with if you don't know what you're doing."

His next pyrotechnics show is happening on Sunday evening —the New Year's Eve fireworks for the Town of Torbay.

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